Artery Plaque Reversal and a Low Carbohydrate Diet

Diets high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can leave plaque residue in the bloodstream that narrows and clogs arteries. Additionally, high sodium and low potassium intakes that create high blood pressure increase your risk for clogged arteries, or atherosclerosis. This condition slows or reduces blood flow, damages artery walls and causes bleeding and blood clots. Losing weight on a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet may improve your blood pressure and disperse arterial plaque.

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Reversing Atherosclerosis

If you follow a low-carbohydrate diet that limits solid fats and cholesterol, you can mitigate the cardiovascular harm done by atherosclerosis. A study that appeared in the American Heart Association journal "Circulation" reported that a group of overweight people on low-carbohydrate, low-fat or Mediterranean diets experienced a reversal of their plaque buildup from atherosclerosis. Successful individuals first lost weight and stabilized their blood pressure, and then continued to restrict their caloric intake. The researchers attributed the positive effect on atherosclerotic arteries to eliminating the risk factors of excess weight and high blood pressure, not to one particular diet plan.

Reducing Solid Fat Intake

In order to lose weight and halt the progression of atherosclerosis on a low-carbohydrate diet, you need to control saturated and trans fats and dietary cholesterol. Make careful choices among the allowed protein foods that include meats, fish, shellfish, chicken, turkey and eggs. Fish such as tuna, cod and orange roughy are among those with the lowest total fat. The AHA suggests trimming visible fat from meats and removing skin from poultry. Shellfish and eggs contain high dietary cholesterol but low saturated fat, so eat them occasionally when your daily totals can accommodate them. Choose olive, canola and safflower oils instead of stick margarine and butter.

Balancing Sodium and Potassium

You might need to make more food trade-offs in reducing your sodium intake to the AHA-recommended 1,500 mg per day to control your blood pressure. Fish such as smoked salmon and canned tuna and sardines are high in sodium. Fresh or frozen meats and raw eggs are low in sodium, but gain some when you add salt during cooking and serving. The narrow range of fruits and vegetables allowed on a low-carbohydrate diet reduces the available sources of potassium, a nutrient that offsets sodium's effect on blood pressure. Tomatoes, cooked spinach, parsnips and squash provide significant potassium.

Considerations

Low-carbohydrate diets emphasize protein and fat within limited calories by curtailing the variety of foods you eat. The Mayo Clinic notes that this diet is healthy when the majority of fat intake comes from unsaturated sources, not from saturated and trans fats that negatively affect your blood cholesterol and promote plaque accumulation. A lack of food variety may also decrease your potassium intake, which can lead to high blood pressure, and make it difficult for you to stick with the diet long enough to achieve your health goals.